Carbon Quiz
The Miller Zero project is now taking shape with all five demonstration homes underway. But Adrian Corser, production director at Miller Homes Southern, says more questions must be asked before all the answers can be found
Housing Corporation calls for developers to bid for new HomeBuy mortgage initiative
The Housing Corporation has today (October 1) launched the £300 million HomeBuy Direct initiative to help 10,000 first time buyers get the mortgage they need to buy a new home.
Barker’s speech raises hopes of rate cut
Hopes for an interest rate cut before Christmas were renewed when Kate Barker, member of the Bank of England’s monetary policy committee, (MPC) spoke yesterday (September 25).
Mortgage costs to rise again – FT
Mortgage rates are set to rise again according to reports, following the collapse of Lehman Brothers and subsequent financial events.
OFT report gives industry clean bill of health
The housebuilding industry has been cleared of accusations of landbanking in the long awaited OFT report into the operation of the industry. The report, published on September 25, says that the industry is actually constrained by the availability of land and that the biggest land bank is held by the public sector. It also could find no evidence of anti competitive behaviour. However the report also found that home buyers report experiencing a number of problems with the industry including delays and snags.
Berkeley’s sales 50% below average but “in line with expectations”
The Berkeley Group’s sales levels have been 50% lower than average since the start of the financial year, it has revealed in its interim management statement, running from 1 May to 31 August 2008.
Bank of England delays consultation on new liquidity scheme
The Bank of England has announced that its special liquidity scheme (SLS) has been extended and that its consultation paper on proposals for a replacement scheme would appear at a later date.
New liquidity scheme will not save housing market – King
The Bank of England’s Mervyn King has warned that its new funding scheme will not cure the ailing housing market.
Redrow’s reservations fall 55%
Redrow’s preliminary results show once more the difficult conditions within the industry, with the housebuilder’s net reservations down 55% in the six months to June 2008.
Permitted development needs “highway code” – RTPI
The government should introduce a highway code style document on permitted development, to ease the confusion over what can be built with planning permission when home owners wish to make alterations to their properties, the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has stated.
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